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Brady Campaign Reacts to Statement by Father of Young Man Slain in Santa Barbara Shooting

"Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights. What about Chris's right to live?" “Stop this Madness! We don’t have to live like this. Too many have died. We should say to ourselves, 'Not one more!’” Richard Martinez said at a news conference about his son.

“We at the Brady Campaign stand with Mr. Martinez. He got it exactly right. Americans are dying every day because of the corporate gun lobby and the politicians it has in its pocket.

Real solutions exist that are supported by the overwhelming majority of Americans -- solutions that would prevent many of the 90 gun deaths that happen in our nation every day. And yet, the corporate gun lobby relentlessly blocks progress toward every commonsense solution. It gives substantial sums of money to buy politicians to ignore the will and well being of the American people -- by opposing expanded background checks; and calling research into gun violence ‘unethical.’ These politicians do not care who is buying guns – convicted felons, domestic abusers, rapists – just as long as the corporate gun lobby is happily making the biggest possible profit.

It is time for the American public to know the truth about why people are dying every day and, thanks to Americans like Mr. Martinez, that truth is starting to be heard.

Tragically, it becomes more essential every day that we Americans rise up and show the courage and rage that Mr. Martinez has, and call out the corporate gun lobby and the ‘craven’ politicians who do their bidding.” We at Brady are committed to making the voice of the American public heard, and preventing every act of gun violence until we make this the safer nation we all want.